East Bengal FC suffered a narrow 2–3 defeat against Iraq’s Al Shorta SC in their second AFC Champions League Two 2026–27 Group D fixture at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday.
David Lalhlansanga struck twice in the first half to keep the Red and Gold Brigade in contention, but Ahmed Yahya, Hussein Al Saedi and Kingsley Kuku found the net for the visitors to secure all three points.
The Kolkata giants had opened their campaign with a 2–2 draw against Jordanian side Al Hussein SC and remain third in Group D with one point. East Bengal will look to bounce back when they travel to Oman to face Al Seeb Club on October 27.
Al Shorta were reduced to ten men in the 76′ after Abdoul Moumouni received his second yellow card for a challenge on Jay Gupta.
Despite enjoying a numerical advantage in the closing stages, East Bengal failed to convert their chances into goals. The hosts pushed hard in search of an equaliser but were unable to prevent a disappointing home defeat against ten-man Al Shorta.
East Bengal FC Starting XI:
Prabhsukhan Gill, Hardik Bhatt, Anwar Ali, Chungnunga, Edmund Lalrindika, Daniel Ramirez, Daviddavid Lalhlansanga, Diego Zivulic, Jeakson Singh, Jay Gupta, Basim Rashid.
Al Shorta SC Starting XI:
Jalal Hassan, Ruben Ramirez, Maytham Jabbar Al-Farttoosi, Boaz Ngalamulume Bato, Ahmed Yahya Al-Hajjaj, Hussein Al-Saedi, Abdoul Magid Moumouni, Atheer Salih Al-Mousa, Leonel Ateba Mbida, Bassam Shakir Ahmed, Kingsley Kuku.
Picture Courtesy: East Bengal Media
